Laffoy inquiry yet to respond to proposals

THE Laffoy Commission has declined to respond so far to the Government’s proposals to restart its inquiry into child abuse.

Work is continuing at the commission’s confidential committee, but the investigative committee remains suspended following the Government’s announcement of a review of its remit last week.

The commission and its outgoing chairperson, Justice Mary Laffoy, who also resigned over the review, was expected to respond to Minister for Education Noel Dempsey’s plans to revamp the inquiry. However, the commission has yet to make any official comment on the Government initiative and, according to a spokesperson for Mr Dempsey, there was no further update on the Government’s ongoing efforts to resolve the impasse.

Also yesterday, the Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said Mr Dempsey’s latest plan makes a bad situation even worse for both victims and taxpayers. “Having provoked the collapse of the commission by rendering its mandate inoperable, the Government has immeasurably worsened the position for all concerned.

“It is time the Government admitted without equivocation it’s responsibility for the present shambles and go back to the drawing board. Ms Justice Laffoy’s proposals would be a good place to start,” he said.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny wrote back to Mr Rabbitte yesterday rejecting Labour’s idea to put down a “no confidence” motion in the Government over its handling of the Laffoy controversy.

Describing the Government performance as incompetent, Mr Rabbitte wanted FG and the Green Party to join him in putting down a joint motion of no confidence.

Instead, Mr Kenny will raise the issue of the Laffoy Commission in a debate when the Dáil returns from its Summer break at the end of the month.

According to a FG spokesman, Mr Kenny feels a targeted private member’s time motion focusing on the Laffoy commission controversy presents a better opportunity of obtaining more information on the issue.

The party had not ruled out putting down a “no confidence” motion at a later date, the spokesman said.

Yet according to a Labour spokesman, the issue of the motion of no confidence remains to be resolved. The parties agreed on the principle and the question of parliamentary tactics was a matter to be discussed by the leaderships of the parties.